"One Merck; Two Merck -- Red Merck, Blue Merck": With C4 Therapeutics Now, For Both!

As we mentioned back in December, the US Merck (no relation) has inked a collab with this research team, as well. It too involves smallish up-fronts, but a big payout in bio-bucks -- if all milestones are met.

So too, this morning, with the Darmstadt German one. It features a slightly-larger upfront payment -- at $16 million, but then a smaller back-end payout -- if milestones are hit. Here are the details in the cleverly captioned Fierce / Kelis "boys to the yard" headline:

. . .Apparently, C4 Therapeutics' protein degradation tech brings all the Mercks to the yard. The Massachusetts biotech has signed on Merck KGaA in a $740 million biobucks partnership to find two degraders for cancer.

Merck KGaA is offering $16 million upfront and $740 million in biobucks for the two degraders aimed at proteins that drive cancer growth. Merck will pay for C4’s discovery work and be responsible for future clinical development, according to Monday's announcement. C4 also stands to make mid single- to low double-digit royalties should any of the targets turn into marketed drugs. . . .

Now you know -- and this along with the Roche and Biogen relationships -- suggests C4 is on to something substantial, here. Grin.

नमस्ते